FAQs • Napa, CA • CivicEngage

Who qualifies as a first-time home buyer?

A first-time home buyer is considered anyone who has not owned a home in the past three years.

Additionally, these programs allow others outside this definition to be considered as first-time homebuyers:

A displaced homemaker (defined as someone who has not worked full-time within the last two years and has been unemployed/underemployed and worked to care for their home and family) who owned a home with their spouse or resided in a home owned by the spouse.
A single parent who owned a home with their spouse or resided in a home owned by their spouse who is now either unmarried or legally separated from that spouse or has custody of at least one child (or is currently pregnant).
Or someone who has owned a residence during the last 3-year period that is a dwelling unit either not permanently affixed to a permanent foundation OR is not in compliance with state or local codes and cannot be brought into compliance for less than the cost of a permanent structure.

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Housing - HOME and CalHome Loan Assistance

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1. Who qualifies as a first-time home buyer?

A first-time home buyer is considered anyone who has not owned a home in the past three years.

Additionally, these programs allow others outside this definition to be considered as first-time homebuyers:

A displaced homemaker (defined as someone who has not worked full-time within the last two years and has been unemployed/underemployed and worked to care for their home and family) who owned a home with their spouse or resided in a home owned by the spouse.
A single parent who owned a home with their spouse or resided in a home owned by their spouse who is now either unmarried or legally separated from that spouse or has custody of at least one child (or is currently pregnant).
Or someone who has owned a residence during the last 3-year period that is a dwelling unit either not permanently affixed to a permanent foundation OR is not in compliance with state or local codes and cannot be brought into compliance for less than the cost of a permanent structure.

2. What are the income limits for the HOME/CalHome program?

For the HOME/CalHome program, applicants must have incomes at or below 80% of Napa County’s area median income (AMI), adjusted for household size. See the following charts for specifics:

Income Limits for HOME and CalHome Programs

*Number of Persons in Household*
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
80% of AMI	$70,550	$80,600	$90,700	$100,750	$108850	$116,900	$124,950	$133,000

3. What is the maximum amount of assistance an individual could receive?

For HOME and CalHome General Program funded-loans, the maximum amount the program will loan is $150,000 or 30% of the housing unit’s purchase price, whichever is less.

For the CalHome Disaster loans, the maximum amount the program will loan is $100,000.

However, if a household has an income of 80% of Napa County’s area median income and has been impacted by a qualifying disaster, they could be eligible to receive both loans for a maximum combined loan of $250,000.

4. Does the loan recipient have to live in the home purchased with these funds?: All homes must be owner-occupied by the homebuyer/loan recipients as their primary residences.

5. What are the terms on these loans?

A single-family home or condo would require a 1% interest rate with a 30-year loan. No monthly payments are required.

A manufactured or mobile home would have a 0% interest rate on a 20-year forgivable loan. Ten percent of the principal of the loan would be forgiven each year beginning on the 11th anniversary of the date of the loan. No monthly payments are required.

The loan amount plus any accrued interest would all be due and payable when the home is resold, the loan recipient is no longer the primary resident of the home or the maturity date of the loan has passed.

6. What types of homes or housing units may be purchased using these loans?

Housing units purchased must be located within the city limits of Napa. Any housing unit must be in compliance with State and local codes and ordinances. New or previously-owned single-family residences, condominiums are all eligible. For loans made with CalHome funding, manufactured or mobile homes are also eligible.

For HOME Program funded loans, the purchased home must be owner-occupied, vacated by the owner-occupant or vacant for at least 90 days if it was previously occupied by a tenant. The funds may also be used if a tenant is purchasing the rental unit they are currently renting.